5 Most common problems created by Impacted Wisdom Tooth

As kids, we have always been taught that we have 32 teeth in our mouth. But what we insist on is to have a count. You will notice that having 32 teeth is a story and do not believe in such notions.

Okay so let us begin with the count. Having 32 teeth in your mouth is a fact and truth to abide by. But most of the times it happens to be that when you grow you have 28 permanent teeth developed in your mouth. The rest 4 are the third molars which are last to erupt say in late teens or early twenties.

In some cases, they do not develop at all and the person has to live with 28 teeth only. However, such cases are less in number and people generally do get these third molars with age.

The third molars called as the wisdom teeth because they are last to develop, it becomes difficult to adjust them as the teeth which erupted earlier has taken most of the space and makes it difficult for third molars to fit in. Such wisdom teeth are referred to as Impacted Wisdom Teeth.

If it was the case around 5 decades ago when space was not of many constraints as earlier the jaw sizes were large which use to incorporate maximum no. of teeth possible. But with changes in eating habits, the jaw sizes have decreased making it difficult to fit all the teeth.

The impacted wisdom teeth get stuck in the gumline which makes it difficult for them to develop and work as the natural teeth. today almost 60-70% cases are of impacted wisdom teeth and more often the dentist advice to get them extracted. With the advancement in dental technology, it has become possible to adjust the teeth who find it hard to make a space for themselves.

But how to know if you are facing the problem of impacted wisdom teeth?

If you are regular in your dental visit, then this will not be a problem as your dentist will then let you know if you are facing this issue. But if you rarely visit a dentist, then look out for the following signs and symptoms to know if you have impacted wisdom teeth:

• Swelling in the jaw or gums
• Bad breath
• Jaw pain
• Bad taste in the mouth
• The problem in opening the mouth

If you face any of the above symptoms, then you need to visit a dentist as soon as possible. He/she will take an X-Ray which will help in a thorough examination of your Oral Health.

The symptoms indicate that you need to get your wisdom teeth impacted. Apart from these symptoms, there are problems that are attached with impacted wisdom tooth such as:

Causes poor oral hygiene

Impacted wisdom teeth if slightly erupted through the gum line can cause hygiene problem. It will become difficult to keep your teeth clean. Because it has slightly erupted, it becomes difficult to make your brush reach all the teeth. Not only brushing even flossing can be a task with impacted wisdom tooth as the floss will not be able to reach all the parts. So if you have impacted wisdom teeth, then visit your dentist. They will guide you on how to brush and floss properly and the technique to be used for keeping it clean.

Damage the adjoining teeth

Since the impacted wisdom teeth do not grow straight, the chances of them being tilted are quite high. They can be pushed towards the second molars. They put pressure to the second molars and can sometimes be in the horizontal position in the jawbone. The tilted tooth might put pressure on the adjacent tooth causing damage to the same. This might develop the need for getting a root canal treatment in the adjoining tooth. Putting pressure can even have the tooth out of alignment changing its position which later needs to be corrected. This can even create crowding which can develop the need for Orthodontic treatment.

Higher risk of decay

Impacted wisdom tooth gets packed in your gums which makes it difficult to clean the teeth. and if the hygiene is not maintained then the chances of decay grows manifold. The food will get trapped between your teeth which will create a route for bacteria to cause decay.

Chances of developing an Infection

An impacted wisdom tooth can cause a type of decay called pericoronitis. This is a type of disease which occur when the impacted tooth remains below the gum line. If you are suffering from pericoronitis then your gums will be inflamed and swell. This will make it difficult to brush your teeth or can make it not possible to open your mouth. Having pericoronitis accumulates the bacteria near the gums which develops a bad taste in your mouth and also lead to bad breath.

Risk of Cyst Build-up

A cyst which develops around the wisdom tooth is a fluid-filled sac which damages the roots of the adjacent tooth and also the jawbone. If this happens, then there is only one option and i.e. to extract the impacted tooth.

There are chances to remove wisdom tooth if these problems occur. But there are also likable chances that you need not extract it and dentist in the nearby dental clinic can get it sorted easily without extraction.

Take a dentist appointment today and give an end to these problems.